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Arsinoitherium
Arsinoitherium is an extinct genus of paenungulate mammal related to elephants, sirenians, hyraxes and the extinct desmostylians, as well as to other extinct embrithopods. These species were rhinoceros-like herbivores that lived during the late Eocene and the early Oligocene of northern Africa from 36 to 30 million years ago, in areas of tropical rainforest and at the margin of mangrove swamps; a newly discovered species, Arsinoitherium giganteum, lived in Ethiopia ~27 million years ago. Description, Diet and Behavior When alive, it would have superficially resembled a rhinoceros, and have been about 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) tall at the shoulders, and 3 metres (9.8 ft) long. The most noticeable feature of Arsinoitherium was a pair of enormous knife-like horns with cores of solid bone that projected from above the nose, and a second pair of tiny, knob-like horns on top of the head, immediately behind the larger horns. The skeleton is robust but shows that it was descended from a cursorial ancestor, and that the beast may have been able to run if it had to, like a modern elephant or rhinoceros. Its limb bones also suggest that the columnar legs of the living animal were elephant-like (especially since they ended in five-toed feet), rather than rhinoceros-like. Arsinoitherium had a full complement of 44 teeth, which is the primitive state of placental mammalian dentition, suggesting that it was a selective browser. The large size and hefty build of Arsinoitherium would have rendered it largely immune to predation. However, creodonts may have preyed on the young or infirm. Arsinoitherium's most distinctive feature was the two large horns on their snouts. The horns were hollow and possibly used to produce loud mating calls as well as to compete with rival males. Arsinoitherium was a hefty creature with thick, hairless skin resembling elephant hide. Arsinoitherium was very selective in the types of fruit and leaves it ate. Its size meant it had to eat a lot of food - it probably spent much of its day chewing on something. Arsinoitherium lived in small groups and would have been in the water most of the time. It couldn't straighten its legs, suggesting they were better for wading and swimming than for walking. Its large size kept it safe from most predators, although creodonts might tackle a young Arsinoitherium. Etymology The name derives from Arsinoë, a Ptolemaic Egyptian queen whose palace was near the site of discovery. While this was the only site where complete skeletons of Arsinoitherium fossils were recovered, remnants of earlier relatives have been found in south-eastern Europe and Mongolia, in the form of jaw fragments. These earlier arsinoitheres have yet to be formally described. The best known (and first described) species is A. zitteli. A second species, A. giganteum, was discovered in the Ethiopian highlands of Chilga in 2003. The fossil teeth, far larger than those of A. zitteli, date back to around 28-27 million years ago The Mongolian material has been named Radinskya yupingae, while the European material has been given the nomen dubium of Crivadiatherium iliescui, and the Turkish material has been named Palaeoamasia kansui (also nomen dubium). In popular culture *Arsinoitherium appeared in the documentary series called Paleoworld. *Arsinoitherium appeared in Chased by Sea Monsters. *Arsinoitherium appeared in the Pixar movie Up. *Arsinoitherium appeared in the video game called Jurassic Park Builder. Gallery Jumanji_TV_Libraray_Animals.png|Jumanji Arsinoitherium (Juroceros) Amiable arsinoitherium by wdghk ddi0vml.jpg Arsinoitherium CollectA.jpg Arsinoitherium king kong.png|King Kong’s arsinoitherium Arsinoitherium.jpg Arsinoitherium by zdenek burian 1961.jpg kong_and_the_arsinotherium_by_lewisdaviespictures_dbitz9k (1).jpg hikuptan_war_behemoth_by_tyrannoninja_d74bksm.png ArsinoitheriumInfobox.jpg 1236240977_Rhino_on_holiday_web.jpg RHINOCEROS515.jpg arsinoitherium.PNG|As seen in the Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs g2cote_arsinoitherium_by_dinossword_dd1etks.png fmm_uv_32_ambient_safari__egyptian_arsinoitherium_by_maastrichiangguy_ddj9mwc.png arsinoitherium_by_turb0s0ic333_dddjjfb.png rwby_lw_arsinoitherium_by_dinotasia123_dd7n85c.jpg mlp_primordia_arsinoitherium_by_masonthetrex_dcf1c2c.jpg Arsinoitherium/Gallery |- | |} Category:Cenozoic Category:Herbivores Category:Eocene mammals Category:Sea Monsters Creatures Category:Jurassic Park: Builder Creatures Category:Fossil taxa described in 1902 Category:Prehistoric animals of Africa Category:JUMANJI